


Well, well, well, how the turntables

by Bogsung_a



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Based on the NCT Office video, Drunken Flirting, Flirting, Humor, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun and Jeon Jungkook are best friends, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun is too competitive, Lee Taeyong is a shameless flirt, M/M, Office Party, Pole Dancing, References to the office b99 and killing eve, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24531955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bogsung_a/pseuds/Bogsung_a
Summary: Or the one with a one-sided office rivalry, a drunken office party, shameless flirting.Oh, and pole dancing.Exactly in that order.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Taeyong
Comments: 54
Kudos: 256





	1. I'm Beyoncé, always

Jaehyun has made his fair share of bad decisions. 

In fact, most of his life had been a series of bad decisions: betting that if they could not win against Seoul University in the basketball finals he’ll shave the side of his head and die his hair the worst shade of green ever in the eve of a big interview for an internship he had been eyeing for a while. 

They had lost because of course they had. Fucking Jungkook and Mingyu were on the bench because of an injury, there was this small ass center who had blocked almost all of Jaehyun’s shots and had, repeatedly, stabbed him with his elbows trying to get a rise of him. Jaehyun had been so close to smacking him with the ball that when the game was over, Jungkook had to hold him, broken foot an all, so he wouldn’t jump on the guy. 

Still, Jaehyun was a man of his word, so he did it. Nerveless to say Jaehyun had shown up to his interview scaring the poor woman of HR into thinking he was a hooligan trying to bring havoc in her office. 

(He didn't get the job.)

Or when he had let Johnny’s friend Chittaphon pierce his ears with only an ice cube and a hot needle when they where 18 and drunk on the cheap tequila Johnny’s parents had brought as a souvenir for their vacations to Mexico, and let’s not get started with his and Jungkook’s home warming party, it’s been years but they are still banned from ever organizing a party in their apartment complex. It was hazy and ugly, and Jaehyun can’t remember a third of that night but he’d be too much of a coward to try and look into what had happened and appeal the decision. 

Oh well. 

But this one, this one takes the cake. 

It’s not because he’s standing, at ass O’clock on a Sunday morning, in front of an unknown dance studio fighting with himself if he should go in or just bolt back to his place. 

' _Private dance lessons'_ doesn’t sound so bad when one of the parties involved (Jaehyun) is a little more buzzed than he has any right to be at an office party, but his dance partner was so, so, pretty, his body had moved with such a grace, that even if he was just a tad drunk, years and years of dancing could no erase it, and he had laughed so prettily when Jaehyun had nodded entranced when he had offered to teach him a few moves. 

Did he mention his coworker was pretty? Because he was. 

Lee Taeyong was so, so pretty. 

Beautiful even. 

And Jaehyun was only human, and he couldn’t deny any longer that the thrill that runs down his spine whenever Taeyong was close to him, was more want than the urge to smack some sense into the older. A human who had trouble sleeping all night even with the buzz of alcohol in his veins, because whenever he closed his eyes he could picture the older’s slender body moving at the same time as him.

It wasn't so hard to decide when you looked about it that way.

* * *

Jaehyun loved his work.

And not in that need to say he loves his job so he doesn’t sound entitled. No, it was in the _'I can’t see myself doing anything other than this'_ , type of way. 

Jaehyun had been working for KENZIE Media for about 5 years. He’d spend the first two as an intern for the Marketing department, running coffee errands, creating Facebook campaigns for their clients because he was “a millennial” (Which he wasn’t, but who he was to correct his boss?), designing keynote presentations, the whole sad intern life. 

Jaehyun had been really surprised when they had hired him, not because he wasn’t good, but it was around the time he had his half-shaven head but the head of HR at the time had said they didn’t really mind all of that, they were all up for creative expression in their team. It was normal to see his coworkers wearing extravagant hair colors, lots of dangling piercings, weird undercuts and design on shaven heads, or in the case of Nakomoto Yuta from Sales, all of above. 

After his internship was over, the head of Marketing (and resident prankster) Byun Baekhyun had offered him the position of Team Leader ' _You’ll be the youngest we’ve ever had!'_ had chirped the older behind a wide grin, Jaehyun had preened at the milestone and had taken the job in the spot. He also had made sure to bring it up and quote Baekhyun's words for a whole month whenever someone asked him about his job, forcing Jungkook to ban Jaehyun from talking about work whenever he was present that jealous fucker. 

Still, five years later and Jaehyun was as excited for his job as the first day. His coworkers were all great, but he was particularly fond of the interns, the adorable but sardonic Donghyuck who was in the HR department and at the moment was working as a receptionist. It was supposed to be some sort of punishment, after all, he had, albeit by accident, made someone cry when he was supervising the new interns, but Hyuck didn’t see it that way, he was having the time of his life. Inventing new creative ways of answering the phone, changing the _on-hold_ music at least 4 times a day to whatever new girl group song he found of the Melon Top 10, the punishment was really more for his boss Dongyoung who was _this_ close to popping a vein. 

Then, there was Mark who worked under him in Marketing. An awkward but hardworking kid how spoke in _Konglish_ like Johnny, loved spilling random data and numbers whenever Jaehyun asked for his opinion in anything, always eager to give the 110% in everything he did. And the only one in his team who knew how to use the Keynote Master theme editor and the commands to pull out the emoji's catalog in a Mac. 

Being an only child, Jaehyun doesn’t know very well how it feels to care for and wanting to protect someone from the world, but he guesses that the warm feeling he gets whenever he looks at Mark talking eagerly about CTR or ROI isn’t very far from it. 

He loved spending his breaks with Johnny, who like Jaehyun had snatched the Sales Team Leader a few years after his internship, gossiping about their coworkers, talking about wine, and visiting all the coffee shops within a 2-mile radius from their office. Even Yuta who's intimidating looks had lead Jaehyun to believe the older was unapproachable when in reality he was one of the sweetest people ever (Jaehyun still was cautious of him, the man had a silver tongue and he would destroy you if you annoyed him). 

He appreciated how laid back all of them were, even the CEO Mr. Kim, (who once in a blue moon visited the offices to talk to them) tried to always cheer them up, creating random office parties to celebrate big contracts or some other big milestone. 

He’s also _good_ at his job. 

He thrived at the pressure of creating new campaigns with short deadlines, solving problems with new and weird ideas, he loved the thrill of launching a new product and then checking the numbers of how well received it was, his competitive side fueling him whenever his team showed him the reports of how they were in doing in comparison with their competition. He was passionate, hardworking, and supercritical of his work but he also tried to be flexible with his team so they felt comfortable with him and their work. 

Jaehyun is a people's person you could say. He loved to please, always throwing himself into his work so he could always be the very best. He loved working with clients, even if they sometimes drove him mad with their obtuse attitudes or forward advances. 

Jaehyun had been so shocked the first time a client had tried to invite him on a date. He remembers the hot sensation that covered his ears when the client had proposed they going to eat after the project had finished. He had politely declined, something about a _'company policy'_ and thanked the heaves for his  mastering of the poker face in the face of chaos. 

Donghyuck once said it wasn't fun teasing Jaehyun since his face would always be in a complete blankness only a slight curve of his lips present so he didn’t look detached or cold with people. 

His poker face was almost as legendary as Yuta’s which had earned them the nickname of ice princes, a total bullshit nickname if one would ask Jaehyun, but it was better than the “ _boring and frigid”_ he’d heard some client had called him once, which was funny because he only had called him that after Jaehyun had rejected him (for the third time that week, the ninth in the whole month). 

It was a skill he was proud of, especially when it was also one of the reasons that Baekhyun Hyung always praised him for.

Which is why, it was a big surprise when Jaehyun’s calm composure would turn into a fiery agitation whenever he was in breathing distance of Lee Taeyong. 

The new leader of the second marketing team. 

A tad shorter than Jaehyun, pink hair tussled in a way that let the people know he was stylish enough but he also didn’t try that hard, big dark eyes that looked like big tapioca balls. 

Only two weeks in and he had everyone eating from his hand. 

Everyone loved Taeyong, Jaehyun adored the kid but, Donghyuck, who was a gremlin with all of the team was actually a little angel with Taeyong. He was the only one who the kid actually passed his messages and had set him the least embarrassing _on-hold_ song.

Taeyong was very talented. He had this ability to know how to translate an idea on paper receiving only minimal feedback from their boss. In the leader’s meeting whenever someone asked for his opinion he had great advice, deep insights, he was great (p erhaps too great if someone would ask Jaehyun). 

But that wasn’t the issue.

To put it simply, Taeyong was a _menace_ to work with. 

Baekhyun had asked Jaehyun to help Taeyong settle in his position, introduced him to the team and clients, all that. 

But Taeyong didn’t look like he was the tiny bit occupied to learn anything at all. No, the older man had made it his life mission to make Jaehyun have a breakdown by just breathing. 

There were the little things, like when Taeyong learned he was older than Jaehyun, he had decided to call him Jaehyunnie instead of Jaehyun, throwing the honorifics and seniority out of the window because ' _Baekhyun Hyung had said we are family Jaehyunnie, so just call me Hyung'_. 

He would also say in a high pitched ' _Wah, our Jaehyunnie'_ whenever Jaehyun would enter the office in the morning. Other times, when Jaehyun would explain something important about their clients, Taeyong would look at him intensely without blinking until Jaehyun would break eye contact after a terrible wink given by Taeyong (If he could call blinking with both eyes a wink) a kittenish grin on his lips. 

But there were the things that _really_ rilled him up, like Taeyong doing whatever he wanted with his assignments, not listening to Jaehyun or the draft they had received, because _'yeah, I understand what you’re saying Jaehyunnie but I also don’t like what you’re saying because that’s not good'_ or when he would give his opinion and (unsolicited) feedback to the work Jaehyun was showing their boss in the middle of a meeting because ' _I'm sure Jaehyunnie meant this instead, right?'_ like Jaehyun hadn’t managed to triplicate the revenue for his three last clients. 

Like hell is he going to let a newbie come and swipe his boss from his feet, trying to be better than Jaehyun at work. 

This all was a game and Jaehyun _wouldn't_ lose.

(Okay, it’s not like he’s going to physically fight the guy for the Marketing team supremacy, Jaehyun is just a _tad_ competitive. But, according to his boss, that added to his charm)

It was commendable, how Taeyong would dedicate his time trying to get a rise out of him. Worse of all, it seemed that Jaehyun was the only target for Taeyong’s antics. Johnny had looked at him so surprised the first time Jaehyun had whined about how working with Taeyong was going to kill him. 

"He’s always a total angel with me." had said his friend. 

CEO Kim once called him the ace of the company, thanks to his experiences in sales, marketing, and design, a perfect example of teamwork for how he helped everyone in the office who needed his assistance. 

Jaehyun was so close to losing it. 

It also didn’t help that with every praise from his boss, with every thoughtful insight that Taeyong gave, with every idea Taeyong offered followed by the applause of their peers, something cold and ugly made its home inside of Jaehyun’s gut and it spread unrestrained, like wildfire. 

Taeyong wanted his job. 

It made sense really. 

Taeyong had more experience than him and he hated that Jaehyun was the Team leader. 

Or why else would Taeyong, despite Jaehyun being his senior and the one responsible for the older in the meantime, would discard whatever they had worked together and do things his way? 

Why else would Taeyong only grin and say in a mock dreamy voice, _‘wow Jaehyunnie your voice is so deep’_ , whenever Jaehyun would scold him about doing whatever he wanted? Making it really clear that he didn’t think Jaehyun was worth listening to? 

Why despite Jaehyun’s angry jabs at whatever new crazy thing the older said to him it only seemed to fuel something in Taeyong and he came back to tease him with full force? 

What other explanation was there if not this? 

* * *

When Jaehyun arrives at his apartment after another day of Lee Taeyong being the bane of his existence, he’s so drained he doesn’t make it past the living room. He throws himself on the couch head resting on top of his roommate’s legs ready for his daily rant about the older.

“I thought we had banned shit-talking about work?” Jungkook says mid-rant, big eyes looking in reproach before he turns back to the tv, bringing the volume higher.

“There was no ' _we'_ Kook _, 'you'_ banned it. And I’m not talking about work I’m-” 

Jungkook’s laugh echoes in their living room even above the sound of the program he's watching. “It’s the same thing fuck face.” 

“Do you hate me? Do you want to see me cry? Why are you so mean to me!” 

“I’m sorry _baby,_ ” says Jungkook rolling his eyes. He pats his thighs so Jaehyun can rest his head there. “I just don’t really understand what your beef with the guy is, he sounds like he’s trying to you _know._ ” 

“What? He's trying what?” Wails Jaehyun offended. "He calls me ' _Jaehyunnie'_ Kook!” 

“I call you that.” He murmurs and then adds, "Johnny too.” 

Jaehyun continues ignoring Jungkook’s remark, “He signs all his emails _Jaehyunnie is the best_ and then adds a lot of weird emojis, even the ones when there are other people CCed.” From above him Jungkook suppresses a snort. “He winks at me with both eyes, who does that? Yesterday he tried to feed me ramen like I’m two years old.” He, again ignores Jungkook’s ‘ _but you are two years old’._ "That's a hate crime” 

“It is not.” 

“It is! It's a crime and I hate it.”

“Why are you so stupid?” He’s pretty sure Jungkook is rolling his eyes if the sardonic tone he’s using with him is anything to go by. 

“And that’s not the worse thing, Baekhyun Hyung wants to see me in his office tomorrow.” 

“What about it?” asks Jungkook before pinching his cheek, Jaehyun yelps indignantly, “I thought we had agreed that you’d talk to Taeyong, so you could get the idea of him wanting you job out of your head.” 

“Again, there was no ' _we'._ And does it matter? Baekhyun Hyung’s probably going to fire me tomorrow and then he’s going to give my job to strawberry shortcake and then I’m going to have to get myself a sugar daddy because I’m never going to be able to get another job after this.” Wails Jaehyun pitifully, dragging Jungkook’s empty hand to pet his hair in consolation.

“Why’d you think that? Has he ever say something to you that made you think that?” 

No, of course not. Baekhyun Hyung was too polite to say anything. But maybe he had said something to Taeyong, the way the older carried himself with Jaehyun, the way he looked at him sometimes like he were a fat cat looking at their meal, the way he liked to rilled him up...He must know something.

What else could it be?

Sighing at the no answer, Jungkook combs his fringe with his fingers absentmindedly, trying to relax the furrow of Jaehyun’s eyebrows. He’s beginning to nod off when Jungkook speaks again. 

“You know what you have to do. Talk to the guy.” He says for the hundred time since Jaehyun had first come to him whining about Taeyong. Jaehyun groans from his lap and Jungkook huffs annoyed. “Well, then shut up and stop whining or else-” 

“Is _oppa_ going to spank me?” Taunts Jaehyun, turning to face at this roommate, smile wide and mischievous, dimples dented on his face.

They’ve been friends for years, so Jungkook continues as he hadn’t heard anything, not even a noise of disgust. _Boring_. “I’ll fire you myself.” 

Jaehyun snorts, laughing at the angry set on his face, he can’t take him seriously, not when he knows Jungkook’s afraid of microwaves fearing for them to explode at any minute and despite his bulked muscles and sharp tongue he’s actually the sweetest person Jaehyun knows.

“That doesn’t make any sense.” 

“I'll make your ass sense.” 

Jaehyun knows when he’s fighting a losing battle, so he shakes his head pulling his lips in the tiniest, most innocent smile he can. 

“Just, talk to the guy okay?” And like it’s an afterthought he adds under his breath. “I’m sure it’s not your job he’s after.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Begrudgingly he gets up from his place, eyes narrowed meeting his friend stare who’s looking at him like he’s talking to a toddler. 

“Nothing to worry about sweet-cheeks.” Jungkook sighs, patting his cheek.

* * *

They say the things you love the most are the ones that destroy you. That’s true, or at least it is for Jaehyun, who’s now trying no to choke on the ice cube he had been chewing lazily as Johnny had talked about a big project involving all the areas. 

Apparently, sales had been briefed first, since it was one of their existing clients who had asked Yuta to help them. Yuta as Team Leader, had talked to the Sales Director, Park Chanyeol and he had instructed Johnny to work with Yuta together since this project was so big, they might need all hands on deck. 

Johnny had said that Chanyeol had talked to both Baekhyun and Yixing from IT so they could set up their teams and start working ASAP. 

He also had said Lee Taeyong knew about the project since he was talking with Yuta about it yesterday in the break room. 

Hence the almost dead by an ice cube. 

When Jaehyun finally manages to breathe normally, he turns to look at Johnny with red-rimmed eyes and makes him repeat what he just said. At the back of his mind, he’s trying not to feel too bad by the look of concern he gets from his friend. 

“Baekhyun Hyung wants to talk to me.” He rasps before coughing so his voice comes out more natural as he repeats himself.

“Maybe that’s what he wants to talk to you about.” reasons Johnny, hand still at his back in case Jaehyun has another coughing fit. 

“Or maybe that gremlin has poisoned poor Baekhyun Hyung’s mind and now he’s going to fire me.” 

Johnny murmurs something about Taeyong looking more like a cat from those memes than a gremlin, as the elevator opens on their floor. “I’m sure it’s nothing like that.”

Jaehyun huffs in disbelief, Johnny sighs before patting his head and exiting the elevator first. 

* * *

It’s worse than that. 

Well, not really, but still. 

Turns out Baekhyun Hyung had called them to tell them about the new project, just like Johnny had said. Jaehyun would be stepping in as Team Leader and would be working with Yuta, Johnny, and IT for the development of the project. 

There would be weekly meetings with all the team leaders so they could work easier and fix what needed to be fixed, Yuta, the perfectionist he was, had already sent a time table since their deadline was in just 3 weeks. 

Those were the good news. 

The bad news was that, since Taeyong had experience with something this big they would be, from now and until the project was done, working together, side by side. Baekhyun Hyung would be assisting Mark and the rest of the interns in the other projects so they could focus on this alone. 

The glint in Taeyong’s eyes when Baekhyun suggested he moved to Jaehyun’s office so they could work without interruptions was going to hunt Jaehyun forever.

He now wishes he had choked with that ice cube earlier.

* * *

Their first meeting happens on Friday. They had booked the biggest meeting room in the whole office, and when Jaehyun and Taeyong arrived a few minutes before the meeting started, Johnny and Yuta were already fighting for the mini donuts and other snacks. 

“Jaehyun-ah, Taeyong-ah, take a seat, we are just waiting for Taekwoon to come.” Says Yuta in between bites of his cookies. 

Jaehyun frowns at the crumbs that fly from the older mouth. Taeyong on the other hand makes his way to the little table and begins to pile a bunch of snacks on his plate. 

“Do you want some cookies Jaehyunnie?”

Those mini donuts sure look appetizing, so he stops mid head shake and makes his way next to Taeyong.

These past few days had been _interesting_ to say the least. For once, he hasn’t gone home to whine about Taeyong this week, even if they have been spending a lot of time together crammed in Jaehyun’s little office. The amount of work they had was so big that even Taeyong’s teasing had been almost minimal for the past days. Sure he still teases Jaehyun, and would still respond Jaehyun’s emails with a bunch of winking and blushing emojis but-

It wasn’t the first time in this past week that Jaehyun had thought that maybe this was his opportunity to talk to the older, telling him how he’d appreciate it if he actually treated Jaehyun like, you know, his equal. 

And if not, it’d be nice to have a heads up in case he had to plan his revenge from the little gremlin for planning to take his job. Jaehyun had a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, he knows the law. 

“Pass me a plate, please?”

If Taeyong’s surprised that Jaehyun had changed his mind so quickly about the food he doesn’t show it. “Chocolate mint?” 

Scrunching his nose, Jaehyun makes a displeased sound before walking past the tray to another one.

“What kind of snacks does Jaehyunnie like then?” 

“I’m not much into sweets, but I do love these donuts.” Jaehyun says pointing to his plate filled with the pastry, and because his mother didn’t raise no brute he adds,“You?” 

“Oh, I love sweets but…” Taeyong sighs as if he was in pain and turns to look at Jaehyun, a sad look in his eyes. Huh, he does look like the cat in those memes. “Chocolate, I can’t do that. It’s ruined for me.” 

“What?”

Taeyong nods pitifully, lower lip out. “Wanna know why?” 

Jaehyun nods, eyes trained in the older. Taeyong blinks once before he leans into Jaehyun’s space like he’s about to tell him the biggest secret in the world. 

And since Jaehyun’s a dumb-ass, he leans in too. 

“It’s ruined cause you are too sweet.” 

Jaehyun’s pretty sure his left eye is twitching, he can feel his ears turning an embarrassing shade of red, he takes a deep breath to calm himself.

He-

Fuck talking, Jaehyun’s going to kill him.

* * *

The next meeting, Taeyong makes sure they sit together this time, and while Jaehyun dreads it's because the older wanted to continue their little debate about pizza toppings (and the older’s complete hatred about pizza in general), the reality is other, Taeyong spends most of the meeting singing under his breath the theme song of animal crossing, doodling on his notepad. 

When Jaehyun begins to nod off about 20 minutes into Yuta’s passionate speech, Taeyong had managed to draw a caricature of a boy that looks strangely like Jaehyun, fighting crimes with his pink-haired sidekick. Of the little doodles he manages to catch, was one of the sidekick kissing the hero in a way that was not very _pg_ resulting in Jaehyun shoving the older slightly with his shoulder while Taeyong's lips stretch into a wide grin when he sees Jaehyun’s flustered face. 

Taekowon from IT goes next. He talks and talks about lines of code, about the design of the app, about the different trinkets they’ve managed to squeeze in. He’s prepared for all their questions, easily assuring Yuta’s and Jaehyun’s concerns about the user experience, about the budget, the deadline. 

It’s almost 40 minutes into his passionate explanation when Taeyong lets out a soft sigh and says deadpan, looking straight at Jaehyun, dead in the eyes: “It all looks great Taekwon, but I think I want to hear from our handsome team leader now.” 

There’s a minute of silence where everybody seems to weigh in Taeyong words. 

But when they do, Yuta’s laughs so hard he falls from his chair, while Jaehyun shrinks in his seat, face burning red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take care, https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
> 
> Comments and kudos are the reason i keep doing this, so thank you. 
> 
> References: 
> 
> \- "I want to hear from our handsome leader", Taeyong winking at Jaehyun and being excited when Jaehyun shouts "angrily with his deep voice" are from that Office style NCT127 YT video. Him babying JH is from all the pre-debut and all of their interactions caught on video. Jaehyun IS Taeyong's baby.  
> \- The "Chocolate is ruined because you're too sweet" is from NCT weekly idol back in the superhuman era. Taeyong said this to Jaehyun to lure him into being his partner  
> \- Jaehyun being oblivious and so competitive he's missing the subtle cues is something i live for.


	2. This better not awaken anything in me

With a red face, even redder ears and a hammering heart, Jaehyun makes his way down to HR after the meeting, power-walking so fast his pride is the only thing that’s keeping him from breaking into a sprint.

(Also his trousers were a little too tight today, better be safe than sorry) 

He grunts at Donghyuck as a greeting but the younger ignores him, too busy singing at the top of his lungs some crazy ass girl group song to acknowledge or even throw a joke about his red ears and embarrassed face. 

Good, that makes it easier for him to burst into the office without knocking and screaming at the top of lungs with a very high pitched voice–not a whine, Jaehyun _never_ whines.

“Is there no way we can get rid of him?!” 

Kim Dongyoung, head of HR has the decency of not even looking up from his documents nor sounded offended at the screaming, too accustomed at the chaos and rudeness thanks to having Donghyuck as his intern.

“Not without a cause, Jaehyun-ah.” He says calmly, without even bothering to ask who’s he’s talking about. 

Maybe Yuta and Johnny had already told him about the meeting. 

Those traitors. 

Dongyoung points at the couch in front of him, eyes still trained to some files in his desk while Jaehyun complies begrudgingly. 

“Well, I have a cause!” The older nods and Jaehyun interprets that as a sign for him to continue ranting. “He’s infuriating, I hate him!” 

“Have you tried talking to him?” He asks so calmly it irritates Jaehyun further. 

“Why does everyone keep saying that!” Jaehyun snaps, pushing his hair out of his face.

“Well, have you?” 

“Does it matter?” Jaehyun groans “He’s an evil little _chinchilla_ who hates me and just keeps doing all this things to spite me, I don’t think _talking_ is going to change anything.” 

Dongyoung murmurs something about Taeyong looking like that one cat in that meme which frankly Jaehyun can’t see it, because cats are adorable and Taeyong is the worst and- 

“While I believe him to be something else,” He says, shoulder’s up in a half assed shrug “He’s not doing something that requires my meddling Jaehyun-ah.”

Jaehyun rants some more, throwing his body against the coach causing Dongyoung to roll his eyes at the dramatics. Jaehyun is in the middle of a very compelling retelling of a plan of getting rid of the older which involves Taeyong and some haunted house, Jaehyun's sure Dongyoung can appreciate the intricate plan unlike Jungkook that ignorant gay) when the other interrupts him: "You two would make my life so much easier if you just talked.” 

“What, and I can't stress this enough, are you talking about?” He frowns at the secretive smile that’s thrown his way, a big expecting twinkle in wide eyes, like he’s enjoying a joke that Jaehyun doesn’t know yet and it’s waiting for him to catch up. 

Since Dongyoung is adamant of sharing the meaning behind his teasing smile Jaehyun takes upon himself to rip Donghyuck's headphone's off from the audio jack so his horrible bubblegum music is blasting all over the HR floor when he's going out of the office as a little ' _fuck you and your little secret that I totally have no wish to know_ '

You know, like the adult he is. 

* * *

It was a tradition in KENZIE Media that for every big project finished there would be a little get together to celebrate the hard work of all the involved thrown by HR, which meant lots of fruity alcohol, somewhat decent music and lots and lots of interdepartmental bonding. 

_Yay!_

The last two parties had been the horrible ' _Fourth of Ju-Luau'_ (the things Jaehyun had seen that day, he can't look at a plate of fruits without wanting to crawl his eyes out) and the _"Mean Xmas"_ where the drunk interns decided to do a recreation of the mean girls dance...

_Yay?_

But Jaehyun digresses.

While Dongyoung has been trying to keep Donghyuck in check with his ideas (‘ _A limbo competition while we're all dressed up in animal onesies’_ ) the rest of the team were trying to finish the project on time and in one piece. 

Everything was going great.

They had presented the progress to the client a few days ago and there had been very little feedback, he even had congratulated them for the good work, which was amazing, but it also didn’t stop Jaehyun to be at the blink of a melt down all week. 

It was scary the first time he woke up with a heavy pressure on his chest that continued with him until he went to sleep, the pulsing headaches product of sleeping but not resting. His stomach filled with nothing but shitty coffee was not helping either. 

He’d normally wouldn’t be too stressed about a project, but this, this was different. It was his first time taking a project the normally would fall into Baekhyun’s hands, and Hyung had trusted him with it, Hyung had trusted Jaehyun because he thought _he_ was capable of this and more and Jaehyun would first die before letting something fuck this project up. 

Taeyong, surprisingly, hadn’t been one of the things that Jaehyun had to watch out for. He knew of the older’s experience so he had been apprehensive in letting the older participate too much, afraid he’d use this to later let Baekhyun know how Jaehyun was not good enough to lead the department. But Taeyong, for once hadn’t been a pain in the ass, which was fucking weird but not unwelcome. He’d actually done the things Jaehyun asked for him without reproach, the teasing was at a minimum and he even had taken to offering his help whenever he’d catch Jaehyun’s left eye twitch due to stress. 

But even with the open offer at the tip of his fingers, Jaehyun was one of those _people._

He’d been fighting with Keynote for fifteen minutes, cursing under his breath when the theme he wanted to use kept messing up all the structure of the presentation and Mark who normally would help him with this was busy with Baekhyun hyung on a client visit. 

When the graphic he had been working on for most of the day disappears completely from the slide, Jaehyun has had enough. 

He’s so busy glaring and cursing, that he almost didn’t hear Taeyong’ soft call of his name, a plastic straw from his iced coffee poking his lips.

“Are you okay?” 

Jaehyun doesn’t have the energy to answer, he just removes his glasses and throws his head back groaning in pain at the tightness on his shoulders. 

“For what it’s worth everything looks great.” He sounds as calm as the still water in that pretty pond near Jaehyun's grandma house. 

He’s so undisturbed it’s both infuriating and admirable.

“Great is not enough, I’m aiming for _perfect._ ” 

He hears a sigh leaving the older lips followed by the sound of a chair moving across the floor. Jaehyun’s sure that that’s the end of it until he feels a light weight on his shoulder and the ring of his soft voice.

“Remember you have me with you, don’t try to do it all by yourself, okay?” 

There’s a beat of silence where Jaehyun just lets Taeyong’s words wash over him, taking whatever it can of the anxiety that’s crushing his chest, his calmness somehow mellowing the fire burning inside of him.

It's weird and new.

But not unbidden. 

When Jaehyun opens his eyes to thank the him, Taeyong’s gone.

* * *

Chaos. 

KENZIE’s Media is a fucking _chaos._

Yuta is calling them every 20 minutes, making sure everything’s going smoothly, there's someone who's blasting dubstep music and Baekhyun hyung’s been poking his head every now and then asking them if they want coffee, pastries or anything else. 

(He actually sends Mark to buy them when they do accept his offer but the gesture is nice?)

Still. 

Jaehyun couldn’t sleep at all last night, so he’s only staying awake by the amount of coffee he has on his system, shear stress and Taeyong’s new found knowledge of Keynote that has saved Jaehyun from having more meltdowns as humanly possible. 

The adrenaline that’s clouding his senses it’s something Jaehyun’s never felt before. He’s so drowsy and pumped up, that after re-reading their brief 5 more times before pressing the send, he’s not entirely sure he truly read something.

But it’s done. 

Just like that. 

His shoulders sag, feeling all the exhaustion of the last few weeks crush him. He think’s he hears Taeyong making an eerie noises in celebration and that normally would make Jaehyun huff in exasperation but who the fuck cares? 

It’s fucking done. 

Mark comes around Jaehyun’s office some time later, bringing them both steamy bowls of Kimchi Jjigae from downstairs as a way to celebrate.

They stay there chatting between mouthfuls of food. Mark and Taeyong find they both love rap music and talk about their favorite artists while Jaehyun sips quietly his soup, almost licking the bowl when he’s done, his stomach coming to life after days of being neglected. 

Being the bottomless pit that he is, Jaehyun weighs about going down and buying something else when, without breaking his conversation with Mark, Taeyong pushes his still full bowl to Jaehyun.

He raises his hand dismissively, stopping him when Jaehyun’s about to refute.

Mark makes a high choking sound that breaks Jaehyun and Taeyong's ridiculous back and forth of ( _'You want it it's yours' 'I can go and buy my own, you know?')._ They ask him worriedly if he’s okay and the kid nods as awkwardly as ever jumping in his seat when Baekhyun’s voice comes from the other side of Jaehyun’s door asking for his help. 

He leaves quickly, wishing them a good day between uncomfortable giggles before disappearing through the door. 

There’s a quiet silence that falls between them as Jaehyun devours his (Taeyong’s) soup while Taeyong plays with the buttons of his shirt, button it up and down a slight frown in his youthful face, sighing loudly once in a while to himself. 

It’s until the fifth sigh that Jaehyun is planning to turn to ask what’s wrong when the older beats him to it.

“Don’t you get _stuffy_?” Taeyong’s hands come to his own shirt, pulling it up as far as it can go, mimicking Jaehyun’s all button up dress shirt.

“Are you telling me to loosen up my buttons?” 

Taeyong smiles amused leaning closer to Jaehyun, dragging his chair with him. “Ah Jaehyunnie, so bold.”

“I’m quoting the Pussy Cat Dolls.” Taeyong clicks his tongue in distaste, Jaehyun continues. “I just like to look professional.” 

“Jaehyunnie, and here I thought you finally grew a real sense of humor.” 

“I just take my job seriously.” Jaehyun defends himself, frowning. Taeyong hums, nodding absentmindedly and Jaehyun frowns harder at the dismissive tone. “And I have one!” 

“I’ve never seen you laugh though.”offers Taeyong, eyebrows still furrowed. “Well, I mean with me. I saw you with Mark and you look so adorable! Those dimples in your cheeks! Tell Hyung what to do! You have the prettiest smile”

Taeyong has this…way of saying things. 

More like comments, or questions, they sound like facts, statements when he says them. _‘Jaehyunnie is the smartest person I know’_ when he helps Taeyong with something, even if it’s as dumb as changing the filter on his camera or ‘ _Because you are my favorite_ ’ when Jaehyun had asked him why he stayed after hours. 

Seriously, who the fuck says those things with a straight face?

Does he hear himself?

“Must everything be a joke to you?” Jaehyun huffs irritated from his chair turning his body so he’s facing Taeyong.

The older says nothing before Taeyong is dragging his chair from behind his desk, moving it closer to Jaehyun, so close that their knees are pressing together and the smell of sweet, enchanting roses is clouding his mind. Taeyong’s not saying anything, he’s just sitting there, looking intently at him, big eyes unblinking searching for _something_ in Jaehyun’s face. 

This is the closest he’s ever been with the older. 

It’s..

“If I tickle you, would you laugh then?” 

Jaehyun’s eyebrows draw together. “Are you a child?” 

“That’s a yes then.'' There's no other warning but the happy nod Taeyong gives himself before there are thin fingers moving, without mercy, tickling at his sides, at his stomach. 

Taeyong’s laugh, when free and uninhibited, is very different from the mocking laughter or smirks he throws whenever he annoys Jaehyun. 

It’s a loud, thunderous choked sound, that comes from his stomach and ends in pretty crescents. 

It’s not a pleasant sound but still Jaehyun cannot prevent it from getting engraved in his mind. It takes him a second to snap out if, before he’s squirming in his place, hands swatting at the little gremlin, trying to get him off of him. 

There’s pulling and tugging and even a few knee jerk reactions but somehow Taeyong’s now between Jaehyun’s legs, upper-body almost across his lap, Jaehyun’s fingers are gripping around the playful ones on his body as he joins the older laughing, his deep low laughter mixing with Taeyong’s breathy and high pitched one. 

The older’s fingers move up and down his sides and between hiccups, he asks for Taeyong to stop. 

And in another weird twist of fate, Taeyong does. 

Jaehyun pries his eyes open in surprise, watching through unshed tears as Taeyong’s fingers stop at his stomach. His lips are curling up, and his dark eyes are dancing filled with _something_ that disappears just when Jaehyun’s about to make out what it is. 

The sound of a breathless murmur echoes in the silence between them. It’s so low, he could almost swear he imagined it. Without taking his eyes away from those big orbs, Jaehyun asks for Taeyong to repeat himself, which he does, a little louder this time, eyes dropping down to Jaehyun’s lips before looking up through his lashes.

“Make me.”

He’s awfully close now, so close that Jaehyun can see the way his eyelashes flutter and create shadows against his cheeks, so close that he can see the rose like scar Taeyong has near his eye, so close that Taeyong’s breath is Jaehyun’s own, so close that he can see himself in starry eyes. 

Dark and vast, like a starry night sky, Taeyong’s eyes are. 

It’s baffling that he hasn’t paid them any attention before. 

He could almost-

The pink tip of Taeyong’s tongue traces his upper lip, a moment that Jaehyun unconsciously follows with his eyes, leaning closer to the alluring scent, Taeyong’s fingers against Jaehyun’s stomach clench tighter.

And with just the scent of roses on his mind, Jaehyun's fingers move from the elder's forearm upwards, hovering near the scar near his black eyes, only to be met with nothing, because Taeyong pulls away, taking with him the bubble of calmness they had shared a moment ago. 

But it wasn’t so bad, Jaehyun can't help but think as Taeyong moves behind his own desk, answering the ringing phone with ragged breath, there was still a bit of warmth left at the tips of Jaehyun’s fingers. 

That’s...

Huh.

* * *

Within KENZIE Media the break office is the unofficial employee sanctuary. The small room with a raggedy coffee machine, a rather uncomfortable green chair and pool table (that they use for anything but pool) is located on the third floor, surrounded by boardroom and general silence. 

It’s an unspoken tradition that after a rather stressful day, all employees gather there to waste a few minutes (sometimes hours) joking between mouthfuls of junk food and cold coffee until their bosses call them back to work on their next project. 

Today is no different, so Sales, Marketing and HR are all scattered in the office, talking about really nothing, just happy to be spending their last minutes of freedom before Baekhyun and Chanyeol return from their lunch and drag them back to work. 

It’s when the talk shifts from Mario Kart to the new drama Dongyoung is watching that Jaehyun and a very enthusiastic Yuta start a little basketball game using dirty napkins and begin shooting to the furthest trashcan in the room. 

It’s a very close game even if Yuta had almost no experience playing basketball, having preferred soccer when he was younger. They are too busy trying to beat each other, that they failed to realize the little audience they had managed to attract. 

Composed by Johnny, Jungwoo (from RH) and Mark (who had stopped by for some water but decided that this was more entertaining than working on the CRM), the three of them were getting equally or even more invested in their little game, cheering when someone managed to score even when it looked complicated and booing when someone failed. 

(Taeil, also from sales, had taken upon himself of being a human obstacle, walking in front of them from time to time to ‘ _raise the stakes_ ’ or something just as ridiculous)

It’s when he blocks the deciding point (Or maybe is the murderous glint on Yuta’s eyes and Jaehyun scowl) that Taeil suggests with a wicked smile on his usual sweet face that they should make things more interesting. 

Since their group is mostly composed of competitive assholes, they agree. 

Taeil’s idea of a more ‘ _interesting activity_ ’ consists of playing some games using their office equipment in the empty hallway. 

They decide to slip into teams from different departments to ‘ _increase their team spirit’_ and after a game of rock-paper-scissors, the teams are: Donghyuck (who somehow managed to appear out of nowhere when they were still deciding the games), Mark (who quickly hid his phone when Dongyoung asked who had invited Donghyuck) and Dongyoung as team one, Jungwoo, Taeyong and Taeil as Team two and for team three, Yuta, Jaehyun and Johnny. 

Jaehyun’s shoulder relax when he and Taeyong don’t end up on the same team. 

After what happened this morning, it was best if they didn’t. His lungs still burned with the scent of roses. 

_Don’t go there Jung._

“We really need to expand our group to more departments.” Murmurs Yuta absentmindedly as he watches Taeyong and Dongyoung bickering about chairs, the rules for their chair race and some other usseless stuff. 

Taeil is more preoccupied by the positions of the chairs, pointing here and there, about where the start and finish line should be than who’s going to go first or last. 

They decide through rock-paper-scissors (again) for the order of the teams (Team 1 vs Team 2 and the winner against Team 3) but they still haven’t settled the order of their contestants. 

It’s after they finished marking the lines with washi-tape and pencil-sharpeners at the corners, that Yuta begins to recite the rules they’d settle for (not crossing into the other team sides, no face punches).Taeyong, who by now is impatient of all the rule talking, stands up from his place plopped on one of the chairs, and turns it around so he can sit with one of his knees in the seat body pressed against the headrest “What if I want to race it this way?”

There’s a sound of protest, especially from Dongyoung, who shoves Taeyong’s chair with his feet making the older tumble, Jaehyun, who’s closer to the older moves to steady him. 

“People don’t sit at work like that.” 

“I sit like this though.” Says Taeyong deadpan, sitting back normally on his chair again. Dongyoung turns to Jaehyun with a questioning look on his face.

The first time Jaehyun had seen Taeyong sitting like that in their office he almost had a heart attack at the way the older was resting all of his weight in the headrest, the chair moving dangerously to the front almost as if the older was balancing himself on it. 

Jaehyun gives the team a resigned nod. 

“Shall we do a warm up?” Asks Jungwoo cheerfully, totally unaware of the glaring match between Dongyoung and Taeyong. 

The warm up turns into another argument when Dongyoung says that Taeyong’s cheating with the way he keeps pulling his hips up and not staying in his seat making it easier for him to drag himself through the hallway. 

Jaehyun doesn’t know what comes to him when he comes closer to the older and pushes Taeyong’s hips into the seat telling him to play fair. He comes back to his senses when Taeyong nods looking at him through dark eyelashes before turning to glare at Dongyoung who’s snickering behind them. 

Johnny, who has had enough of their nonsense bickering, shouts an unceremoniously ‘ _go!’_ catching everyone out of guard.

The first race goes as chaotic as you’d think. 

Taeil sprints so hard that he knocks out poor Mark during their turn, Donghyuck clearly doesn’t care about what’s going on and its here just to spite Dongyoung. He drags himself across the floor with such an ease that has the older screaming at the top of his lungs for him to _move! Please!_ But then it’s Jungwoo’s turn who decides to take out this shoes for better friction or something (it’s fucking strange even for Jungwoo). Dongyoung continues to scream at Donghyuck but it’s too late, Taeyong has already crossed the line a mocking smile directed at Dongyoung and when the younger moves to smack him in the arm at the rude gesture Taeyong sprints hiding behind Jaehyun, tongue out like the kid he is.

“Yuta, Jae come here.” 

Jaehyun detangles Taeyong’s claws from his arms and drags himself to his team. They decide to choose Johnny as the best option for going first, since his legs are the longest, Yuta next since he’s pretty fucking fast and Jaehyun at last because he has the fire of pride pushing through and would rather die than losing a game. 

Johnny sits down in the swirling chair next to Taeyong, who’s going to be the first option for his team this time around.

“Shouldn’t we do rock-paper-scissors for deciding the order too?” Dongyoung asks, trying to keep an ounce of order admits the chaos, he turns to Taeil for back up but to no avail since he shrugs unhelpfully. 

“We already decided!” The petulant tone that Taeyong has adopted to bicker with Dongyoung has Jaehyun grinning maybe a little too hard, but he can’t help it. He didn’t know he’d find Taeyong acting like an angry child this entertaining but here they are. 

Dongyoung rolls his eyes and blurts something clearly offensive at Taeyong who just shrugs and looks back at Johnny next to him. 

“I want to race Jaehyun.” Taeyong continues haughty, his nose up in defiance. Yuta snorts beside Jaehyun while Johnny doesn’t even bother hiding his mocking laugh. 

“He’s all yours Taeyongie.”

Frowning at the fact that he has neither a voice nor a vote in this situation, Jaehyun makes his way down until he’s standing next to Taeyong hovering Johnny’s empty chair. The toothless smile that the older sends him when Jaehyun finally sits beside him sets fire in the pit of his stomach. 

As Taeyong turns with that silly smile still hanging from his lips, Jaehyun can’t help but wonder, how will his fingers look around that regal and delicate throat?

Would he bruise easily? Would-

The last thing he sees before Johnny screams _‘go!’_ is the horrible wink the older man sends his way before there’s nothing but a dash of pink, leaving a trace of sweet red roses before Jaehyun follows close behind. 

Jaehyun’s almost fascinated by the level of pettiness Taeyong can display when he’s out to get you. 

When he catches up to him, Taeyong is waiting just at the edge of the finish line, feet propped in another empty chair, head tilted to the side a cocky smile on his face, like a lazy cat daring its master to move. 

So he does, cautious, eyes never leaving the older’s. He feels the now familiar irritation crawling up his spine, the loud almost painful beats of his heart that comes when Jaehyun looks at those eyes. 

His ears and face feel hot, he’s probably flushed and he's pretty sure his face is twisted in an ugly, angry scowl, if the clench of his jaw and dry mouth are any indication. Still, he moves closer without thinking and Taeyong, cotton candy pink, rose scented Taeyong laughs, a melodious little thing as he pushes another inch back.

And that does it.

There’s a hint of taunt in his eyes that makes Jaehyun snap and Taeyong just laughs overjoyed when he pushes forward and makes them both plop down on the floor, falling across the finish line, Jaehyun’s body caging Taeyong under him. 

Someone groans disgusted in the background, (probably Yuta) but Jaehyun’s too busy glaring down at Taeyong’s big eyes that he doesn’t notice it. 

Taeyong whispers something that Jaehyun can’t quite catch and he briefly considers leaning down to listen closer, because fuck, Jaehyun is not thinking clearly and fuck, fuck, Jaehyun can’t recall a moment where Taeyong had been as meek as he’s at the moment, the fire and taunting glare replaced by a more gentle warmth swimming behind his eyes.

It feels like hours but really it’s just seconds after they fall that Johnny pulls them up, Mark running to both of them if they are hurt. Taeyong dismisses him with a smile and a pat on Mark’s head while Jaehyun reassures him with a smile of his own. 

Jaehyun doesn’t have the heart to tell the younger that he’s not, but the fall has nothing to do with it. 

Team 3 wins despite Jaehyun's little stunt with Taeyong. It’s all thanks to Yuta’s incredible (and menacing) way of playing, screaming at the top of his lungs while chasing poor Jungwoo until he is too, screaming in terror (and then chasing Taeyong just because) and Johnny’s dumb luck. 

Everyone thought that Johnny and Taeil would be the most civil out of everybody, but they turned out to be the nastiest at the game, pushing, kicking and trying to knock down each other until Johnny manages to kick Taeil so hard he actually crosses the line by pure luck. 

They decide to stop after that. 

It’s when they are cleaning up their mess that Jungwoo (who is more calm now) suggests having dinner as a more “adult” way of bonding and punching the stress away. 

“What about the BBQ restaurant down the street, today after work?” 

It’s after (another?!) game of rock-paper-scissors that seals the deal for all of them. 

Except maybe Johnny.

Because, what’s greater than having lots and lots of good food and alcohol all night and not paying a single cent for it? 

Nothing

(Johnny begs to differ)

* * *

Taeyong seems to have forgotten that just a few moments ago he had been pinned down on the ground by Jaehyun in what can only be described as a poor lapse of judgment and spends the rest of the day trying to convince Jaehyun to ditch the original plan of all going together to the restaurant and instead going the two of them and wait for the rest, ‘ _it’ll be our own bonding party_ ’. 

Jaehyun, the coward he is and still jumpy about the resent events, had blabbered some nonsense about having promised Mark beforehand that they would go together since the younger didn’t know where the restaurant was (Which was a shit excuse because the restaurant was two buildings down on their own, but still). 

“You can go ahead if you want."

But if Jaehyun was a coward Taeyong was a determined motherfucker and with a pout on his lips, had followed Jaehyun to Mark's desk to wait for the younger with him.

With a promise to buy a free breakfast for a month, Mark bites his tongue when he sees his two seniors sitting at the bench before his desk. It’s awkward, charged and he can only smell roses in the air and Jaehyun just wants to squash whatever this is and never find what it means ever again. 

“I’m all set, let’s go!” 

They make their way down to the restaurant talking between themselves about the gossip they’d missed the last few weeks until they meet Yuta at the entrance slumped against the wall, clearly nodding off. 

“I didn’t want to go in alone.” He yawns as a greeting, making grabby hands at Mark who just blushes and recoils until he’s behind Jaehyun "Johnny and Taeil are going to take a while" 

“Should we wait inside?” asks Taeyong looking inside the restaurant through the window, “It’s still pretty empty.” 

Jaehyun shakes his head. “Yeah, I want to pick a good table. Last time waited for Jungwoo for an hour and we ended up sitting outside the bathroom.” 

“One hour? Why?” 

“He was too busy flirting.” 

“With Lucas from design.” Ends Yuta, raising his hand to pat Mark’s cheek. 

“Better wait inside then.” 

Fortunately for Jaehyun they get to pick a good table and the owner is kind enough to let them put two more together for the whole team. It’s when they are deciding what kind of meat they should order that they are joined by the rest of their friends dragging a pouty looking Jungwoo to their table. 

At Taeyong’s quizzical look, Johnny gives him a small smile before mouthing a ‘ _Lucas_ ’ making the rest of them nod in understanding.

“Jungwoo Hyung, do you prefer Samyeopsal or Dak Galbi?” asks Mark, looking over Jaehyun’s shoulder for the menu. 

Jungwoo’s pretty face twists into an angry pout before shrugging.

“Ah don’t be like that Jungwoo-ya,” offers Dongyoung. “You’ll see him on Monday.” 

Jungwoo’s face darkness in anger before Donghyuck chirps happily, “So...did you hear that Mr. Park is going to get married?”

There’s a loud sound of excited mumbles and loud questions as they begin to gossip who could be Park Chanyeol’s partner, even Jungwoo looks interested face now back to his usual sweet smile. 

“I heard it’s someone he met back when he was a teenager.” Whispers excitedly Donghyuck. “A gentle chef I believe.” 

“A _‘gentle’_ chef? Does Mr Park really know that kind of person?” 

“Where did you hear that?” Asks Mark, eyes wide as a saucers. “That sounds a little-” 

“I have my ways.” Answers Donghyuck cheekily as the same time as Dongyoung says: “He heard it from Baekhyun Hyung.” 

Just when Donghyuck is going to say something that might scare all of them, the waiter _-finally, Jaehyun’s starving_!- decides to show up to take their orders. With every order of different meat and side dishes Jaehyun can hear Johnny whine about the number of dishes they are ordering. 

Between bites of rice and kimchi they begin to talk about these past few days intertwined with some funny stories about past big projects and ex coworkers, all while Taeyong grills the meat quietly, asking for more information when he didn’t recognize one of the names. 

“Oh, you remember the guy who had a crush on Jaehyun?” munches Johnny face twisting in disgust when Mark coughs beside him and some bits of rice fly to his side. 

“Wait what?” 

“Everybody has a crush on Jaehyunnie.” Nods Yuta patting Mark on the back absentmindedly.

“As they should.” Says Taeyong taunting, eyes burning holes at the side of his face. “Why wouldn’t they?”

“Stop.” Jaehyun hisses angrily, not turning to meet the older. 

“Why? I really think Jaehyunnie is the best. He’s amazing.” 

“I’m going to end you.” He grumbles behind his alcohol, finally turning to glare at Taeyong who just smiles wide, twinkling eyes shining under the warm light of the restaurant. 

“Can’t wait.” 

“Yeah,” coughs Johnny loud, noisily. “True but I'm talking about the client who wouldn’t stop bothering him.” There’s a collective groan of distaste at the realization.

_Oh, that guy._

_The ‘Jaehyun is boring and frigid’ guy._

_The ‘I ask Jaehyun out three times a week (nine in a month) even if he said no the first’ one._

_That fucking guy._

“Turns out he goes to the same gym as me. I ran into him a few days ago and he asked about you sweet-cheeks, told me to hit him up if you ever felt like it.” 

“Creep.” Spats Jaehyun uncomfortable. 

“What did you say?” asks Donghyuck looking pointedly between Taeyong and Jaehyun for whatever reason. 

Johnny shrugs, “What else? That he wasn’t interested.”

Their loud chatter about the client and Jaehyun is interrupted by their waiter bringing in the meat and new bottles of soju Yuta had asked for sneakily making Johnny groan in distress whining about his poor wallet. 

“How are you liking KENZIE Media Taeyong?” asks Taeil ignoring Johnny wails about the amount of money he's going to spend. 

“Oh I’m liking it a lot! Everyone’s so nice, the bosses are all chill.” 

“Why did you change job though?” questions Yuta, filling his and Mark glass with Soju “I've heard that your previous job was pretty top tier.” 

“Oh, this was closest to my house.” Grins Taeyong taking the soju bottle from Yuta and serving himself a cup. “Also my boss was a prick. I've never work with a team before so I was a little apprehensive but this has been a great experience for me. Also,also this project has been so good! and Jaehyunnie was a great support and awesome leader in all of this, so I'm grateful to him.” 

Jaehyun blinks startled by he sincerity lacing the older words.

He sounds so gentle, warm even. 

He's never heard Taeyong use that tone before. Nor has he see him so sincere about something. 

He squashes feeling of happiness that's beginning to form at the pit of his stomach. He's not very successful with the blush that's creeping into his ears though. His shy ' _Thanks_ ' is drowned by Donghyuck's drunken shout. 

“You hear Jaehyun hyung?! He likes working with you -hic- he doesn't want your job or wait -hic-!”

His going to fucking kill that kid. The blush on his ears moves to his cheeks and neck painting him a shameful red. 

Well, it's over for Jaehyun. He had a good run, he never thought he'd die because of shame of being found out. 

“For fucks sakes Hyuck.” 

“What?" He yells pointing at Jaehyun with his glass, soju flying everywhere. "Taeyong hyung, am I wrong?”

“Hyuck, shut the fuck up." Hisses Dongyoung taking the glass from his hands. “Why the fuck are you drinking? You're a lightweight.” 

“I’m wounded Jaehyunie.” Chuckles Taeyong, pink hair falling into his eyes, Jaehyun's grip on his soju bottle tightness, bracing himself for the older to confirm what has been looming at Jaehyun's mind since the first time he ever saw him. He's particularly on edge of what Taeyong is going to say now that his tongue is a little loose from the alcohol. “That you’d think is your job what I want from you. It means I am not doing a very good job.” 

"Don't say stupid things." Jaehyun croaks. His face twisting in shame at Taeyong's joke of something he's being really conscious since the begging . 

It’s not fair. 

Form him to joke about it, to make light about something like this. 

From behind a cup of soju, comes Taeyong's answer, voice back to the gentle sincerity it had a few moments ago. "But I'm not."

It’s not fair. 

It's not fucking fair, he has to stop doing all this things, saying all this things with a straight face. 

Who does he think he is? 

Jaehyun turns to face him, his almond eyes mapping Taeyong's face, trying to look for slightest hint of humor on his face. He has to drown a gasp when he's only meet with tender dark eyes.

Taeyong has to stop looking so kind under the warm light. 

“Oh my god.” 

It's too raw, too new and unknown for Jaehyun to feel comfortable acknowledging it. Something jumps in his stomach so he quickly clears his throat loudly before turning his head embarrassed and drowns the shot that Jungwoo’s shoving in his face in one go. 

“Yuta.”

The alcohol burns hot, sliding down his throat, but not hot enough to kill the warmness forming in Jaehyun’s heart. 

“No, Johnny, if they don’t fucking k-” 

“Yuta!” 

Taeyong laughs, a loud sound that almost sounds like a screech, it's horrible and it hurts his ears, but nevertheless Jaehyun lips unconsciously curl up too. 

The warmth in his stomach spreads until it comes to his cheeks. 

Who does he think he is?

Making Jaehyun’s heart skip a beat at the sound of that melodic laughter? 

He drowns another shot. 

Taeyong’s the fucking worst.

* * *

“So, did you know?” ask Jaehyun, voice gruff from the soju he just drank straight from the bottle. At his side Jungkook grumbles a ‘ _What_?’ behind his soju-bomb. “Taeyong, Kook, did you know that he’s the worst?” 

After that very _interesting_ work dinner, Jaehyun had forced Jungkook to drink with him until they both couldn't take it anymore. 

It was the only way he could drown out the swirl of thoughts and feelings that were clinging onto Jaehyun since this morning.

If he couldn't erase the prickle from Taeyong's fingers on his skin with alcohol, then there really was nothing else to do.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, instead of forgetting about Taeyong, he had spent the last few hours talking about the older.

Shocker. 

“Ah sorry, it’s just that you keep -hic- talking about him all the time. I needed to be remained that we hate him.” 

“ _Hate_ him? no _,_ no Kook-ah,” Jaehyun groans taking another swing of his bottle. “We..uh _whatever_ him.” 

“And what -hic- the fuck is that supposed to mean?” 

With brows furrowed Jaehyun turns to meet the jazzy gaze of his roommate, trying to stray his drunken thoughts away from big shining eyes.

“You see, he’s childish, did you know he talks mainly in pout? _like_ , how the fuck does he manages to do that? He’s so petty too, one day he didn’t talk to me all day cause I said I wouldn’t buy him that shitty coffee from downstairs.”

Jungkook wails at Jaehyun’s aggressive arm moments as he explained, hands clashing with his glass drenching themselves in alcohol.

“But he’s not bad? I mean his jokes are horrible but he’s good with Mark, he also buys me food so that’s a fucking plus, and dude did you know he makes the pins he uses on his suits? like how cool is that!” 

Even with gracious amounts of alcohol in his system Jungkook’s voice still carries a vicious amount of sarcasm, “Our hero.” 

“And his eyes are so big dude, like-“

“If you fucking say one more word I swear I’m going to puke.”

What's so wrong on wanting to rant about the hard time his coworker has wrong him? 

He could tell Jungkook about the ways Taeyong’s eyes filled with stars when he was genuinely happy, like back there at the restaurant. Or how despite being fucking insufferable, he was caring, when Jaehyun’s not feeling well he’ll try to make him smile or even banter with him so Jaehyun would feel again himself or how he would look years younger when he would smile and not smirk like he would normally do when he was teasing him. 

How warm he was, when Jaehyun had thanked him for all his help with the project after he had talked to Baekhyun and Taeyong had smiled, so big and so open before giving him a half hug that Jaehyun couldn’t help but return.

Where the fuck did that came from? 

Maybe he needs to stop with the alcohol.

“What? No, why would I do that?” 

“Because you’re so weird with him,” continues Jungkook. “Maybe if you just fuck the guy-”

“WHAT?” 

“Bone him. Take it out of your system-“

“BONE?” Jaehyun screams loud, so loud Jungkook jumps in his place. “Are you fucking stupid?...with Taeyong…BONE?” He yells as he moves his hands in the air, the empty bottle moving dangerously in his grip. “Me? With him? When I-” Jaehyun murmurs angrily, “BONE?” his voice's ripping from his raspy throat, loud and frantic. 

What the fuck? What the fuck? What the-

“Listen,” sighs Jungkook under his breath, looking at him in such a way it makes something uncomfortable set in Jaehyun’s stomach. Jungkook clicks his tongue before drawing the rest of his beverage. His gaze is serious even if a little cloudy. “Listen, you have to do something about your _thing_ with Taeyong.'' He mumbles drunkenly, nodding to himself, “Johnny says he’s pretty, he kinda looks like a cat from a meme and I mean it’s cool if you’re into that-” 

He nods, one, twice before stopping so abruptly the whole room spins out of control. His hands tightens around his empty bottle, heart beating fast as Jungkook words settle in his drunken brain. 

Saying it like that it sounds like Jungkook thinks Jaehyun likes Taeyong.

Which, first of all, why would he think that?

Jaehyun liking Taeyong?

Did Jungkook knew that Taeyong had a crazy ass laugh, all airy and kind of endearing that Jaehyun would sometimes find himself amazed at how his laughter echoed throughout their office? 

Did Jungkook knew Jaehyun liked how his name sounded when called with such gentleness whenever Taeyong would see Jaehyun's tired face? How would Jaehyun ignore the older just so he could hear him call Jaehyun again? 

Did Jungkook knew that when Taeyong would smile genuinely, Jaehyun would just smile with him because his body reacted that way? How would he fall apart for those starry eyes? 

Did he knew that Jaehyun liked how the fire that Taeyong started inside of him was gentle and painless? How, it was more sweet flares of light instead of angry scorching flames. 

How he could still smell the scent of roses under his nose even if Taeyong wasn’t there

Did-?

Wait

When?

How?

Oh no.

No, no, no, no, no.

“Jungkook?” He asks through gritted teeth. He feels the alcohol and food making their way up, along with a scream he’s fighting to suppress. 

Jungkook has the nerve to look sheepishly when he answers with a drunken laugh. 

Realizing you like your annoying coworker? Totally anticlimactic if you were to ask drunk Jaehyun.

0/100, would not recommend. 

“I think I’m-”

“WAIT JAE!”

Puking on your ungrateful best friend? 

1000/100

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Some dialogue is taken from the office, b99 and archer and killing eve, who are serve as inspiration for this fic  
> -i also took inspiration from all the wangxian fics (but i have to give a shoutout to "With you, I am home from tellthemstories" bc the level of denial in that fic is !!!!! ) i've read in the last few weeks, because if there's a master at not realizing his feelings/being in denial that's wwx  
> \- The one scene where they are playing in the office, is taken from the office final round episode 3 in nct yt channel  
> \- Looks like i’m going to do an epilogue with the pole dancing adventures in more detail, bc man! writing is hard
> 
> Kudos and comments are so appreciated.


	3. Title of your sex tape

“We all thought you knew.” It's the first thing Johnny says when he sees him the next day for their party after Jaehyun had dragged him to the cocktail table when he spotted a flash of pink hair in the crowd. Unlike Jungkook he does sound apologetic about it. “It’s not that bad?” 

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Jaehyun says through gritted teeth. “Save it.”

“Don’t shoot the messenger.” His friend states, raising his hands with a laugh. “Look at it this way Jae, you have all your work cut out for you! You know what you gotta do, right?” 

Oh Jaehyun knew _exactly_ what to do. 

But in a much more real sense, he had no idea what to do.

He’s been in a state of total panic since his drunken epiphany, tossing and turning all night trying to erase the sight of starry eyes and smooth skin. Being hangover isn’t helping either, while his brain is in turmoil at the moment the few times he manages clarity Jaehyun can’t think in anything other than Taeyong and his horrible charming laugh and pretty lips and how it’s so easy to spot the dash of baby pink between the sea of dull brown-

“Why are we hiding here~?” blurts Donghyuck jostling them both his shoulders and hips as Mark follows behind, nursing a beer.

“Wow Jaehyun Hyung you look like shit.” 

His favorite interns he had said? 

Nah, fuck them kids.

“I’m glad Jaehyun Hyung’s finally realized this feelings for Hyung.” Continues the youngest of them, animatedly. “It was getting really, _really_ bad.” 

“He just needed a little help,” Johnny sounds like a condescending father, he even pulls Jaehyun in a half hug. The bastard. “With the project and the deadline he had a lot in his plate.”

With zero ounce of self preservation and a click of his tongue, Donghyuck adds: “He’s also very stupid.” 

“Watch it Hyuck.” 

“But Peaches~you have to admit-”

“I won’t do shit.” snaps Jaehyun drowning another drink. 

“Aren’t you going to do something Hyung?” Questions one of the Mark’s in his sight (He loves the kid but 3 Marks, damn that’s too much) recoiling when Jaehyun glares at him behind his glass. “It’s not _like_ a secret or anything.” 

Donghyuck’s jeering laugh paired with Jaehyun’s distressed wail attracted the attention of most of the people at the party. Even a pair of dark glossy eyes.

Fuck. 

“It’s not like Taeyongie Hyung was being subtle.”Chips in Donghyuck sardonically, gulping down his fruity drink. “All we are asking is that if you guys decide to have sex please don’t do it in the office, spare us.” 

Jaehyun’s not even sorry for throwing his shot at Donghyuck’s golden skin. 

* * *

They stay the rest of the party at the back of the salon, drinking quietly by themselves. Well, more like, Johnny drank quietly from his glass, offering some useless words of encouragement every now and then while Jaehyun just finished drink after drink, unconsciously following a mop of pink hair in the crowd. 

Jaehyun is well into his seventh drink when he loses sight of Taeyong amidst the multitude of people. A new feeling rose up through his spine, a rush of everything rushing through his veins, it takes a while for his buzzed brain to recognize that all of them are panic. The panic of not having Taeyong at his line of sight, at not having him close to him. 

That was fucking new. 

What was also new was the scent of roses filling his lungs and calming his mind even when Taeyong wasn’t near him. 

Maybe the real Taeyong wasn’t here, but an ethereal being was. 

He had read about daydreaming and how sometimes you can see the product of your imagination so clearly you can feel their touch, smell their scent, feel them close to you. 

Man, was he drunk right now. 

To Jaehyun’s drunken brain, this dream Taeyong looked even more beautiful. Tousled pink hair, pretty eyes adorned with a shiny eyeshadow, flushed cheeks. 

His lips were so full and looked so enticing against the colorful lights of the party. Not for the first time in the night the idea of kissing that rosy mouth clouded his mind, would Taeyong kiss like he behaved in the office? Unabashed, unrestrained, needy? Would he make those little sounds he often made, when Jaehyun's teeth trapped his bottom lip? 

Man, he wasn't playing around with his imagination, huh? 

Like everything in life he had to go balls deep. 

Oh, language. 

“Why haven’t you come and say hi to me.” Chides daydream Taeyong with a lopsided smile far too coquettish for Jaehyun’s inebriated state and new discovered shamelessness. 

“Why didn’t _you_ come to _me_?” 

Even in his imagination he was a dumbass. Another anticlimactic discovery for drunken Jaehyun.

“Funny.” Daydream Taeyong snorts. “Care for a dance?” 

“I do, I care.”

A frown, “Do you hate the idea too much?” 

“I don’t hate it.” Says Jaehyun, voice gruff from the alcohol mimicking the frown on daydream Taeyong’s pretty face. “I just don’t like it at all and know it’s going to be terrible.”

Daydream Taeyong’s laugh is as loud and horrible as real life Taeyong. And like with real life Taeyong, Jaehyun’s lips curl up in a smile.

“Jaehyunnie look at your dimples.” He sounds so gentle for some reason, it makes Jaehyun’s heart pick up in his chest. “Come, if you don’t know how to dance I’ll teach you.” 

He lets himself be dragged by the older, buzzing brain screaming that even if his daydream is hyperrealistic there’s no fucking way he’d manage to feel Taeyong’s warm fingers intertwined with his.

There was no way that in his drunken state, he’d managed to daydream about narrow hips pressing against his, urging for their bodies to work in sync. 

He turns his head to the side, unable to take the sight of Taeyong so close to him (daydream or not) and meets with Johnny’s blurry and smiling face. He expects to find himself looking back at him judging him for this elaborate dream. 

There’s none. 

So that means–

“Relax Jaehyun.” 

Scientists need to find a new word to call the color his face has turned into. 

“I am.” 

“Liar, your hips are so stiff, come on.” 

“I’m coming.” 

The minute he hears those words come out from his lips he knows he has made a mistake. He knows he _really_ fucked it up when Taeyong's smile turns so big Jaehyun’s mouth hurts just by looking at him. 

“Oh, can you _please_?” He whispers, leaning closer bringing with him the scent of roses in full bloom. Jaehyun feels blunt nails at the back of his neck and it takes all his self control not to shiver. “You’re not a bad dancer. Still, I think you should learn a few new moves.” 

“And I suppose you know where I could learn that?” 

“Of course.” Taeyong says with a laugh, starry eyes twinkling so pretty that beyond the embarrassment that is swimming in Jaehyun he knows he’d do everything the older asked. “I know a place.” 

Much, much later, in the privacy of his bedroom, Jaehyun whimpers into his pillow, fighting himself to suppress a loud moan as he makes a mess on his sheets, gripping his dick hard until it hurts, the feeling of Taeyong’s body molding into his as they danced the only thing on his mind. 

* * *

That’s how he finds himself, hungover, embarrassed (and horny, but not pleased about it), pacing outside Taeyong’s older brother’s dance studio. 

‘ _We close on Sundays’_ had said the text message from an unknown number, with the address of the studio. So if Jaehyun chickened out, no one would know–

“Hey, dimple boy!” Shouts a voice from inside making Jaehyun jump in his place, wide eyes searching for the owner and finding nothing but blacked out windows staring back at him. “You come for Taeyong?” 

He nods nervously, feeling dumb at not being able to look at the person who’s talking to him. He nods again, this time pairing it with an answer in the form of a choked up _‘yes’_. 

The minute the man laughs, Jaehyun just frowns, wanting to crawl back to his bed and lament himself for falling for a two year old. 

Taeyong opens the door with a teasing grin in his face and pretty eyes looking him up and down. 

“You’re wearing too many clothes for what I have in mind for you.” Taeyong says as a greeting, pulling him inside a well lit lobby. “Don’t worry, we can do something about that later.” 

Jaehyun doesn’t even dignify the older with an answer. Doesn’t think he can utter one to be honest. 

He thought that a teasing Taeyong was bad but a shameless Taeyong? A shameless Taeyong with a Jaehyun who wanted nothing more but to be ravished by the older? That was going to be the death of him. 

T&T is a two story studio, affectionately called after Taeyong’s older brother Taemin and his boyfriend Chittaphon (or Ten as he likes to be called because _‘It’s what I am after all, a 10 across the board.’)_ lots of characters in the Lee household had said Taeyong with a smile.

Taeyong is not a teacher but he has enough knowledge and hours of practice under his belt, all thanks to Taemin teaching him how to dance since Taeyong learnt how to walk. Or at least it’s what he says trying to reassure a very skeptical Jaehyun as he pulls him through the dim lighted hallway. 

Jaehyun doesn’t have enough time to weigh in how right it feels to have Taeyong’s hand in his now that he’s sober when Taeyong’s already letting go to put both hands on the handle of a door. 

“You have to trust me okay.” Taeyong says a hint of nervousness in his voice that’s so out of character it makes Jaehyun frown. “If at any point you feel uncomfortable, you tell me okay?” 

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Jaehyun asks, eyes going between Taeyong’s anxious face and the closed door in front of him. “It’s weird.” 

“Ah Jaehyunnie, I didn’t know you preferred it rough.”

Jaehyun’s about to protest about the innuendo when he sees it.

It’s settled in the middle of the room, tall and proud, shining even with the dimmed lights, thanks to the top to bottom mirror-walls. 

A fucking pole. 

Millions of emotions, thoughts and whatnots swim through Jaehyun but the first to make themselves known is the blood rushing to his dick, which it’s embarrassing but there’s a fucking pole in the middle of the classroom so cut him some slack. 

The second is panic, because: “Why the hell is there a pole in the middle of your classroom Taeyong?” 

“Well, it’s not my classroom.” He mumbles embarrassed, hand coming to grasp Jaehyun again. “I told you I’d teach you how to dance?” 

“With a pole?!” Jaehyun cries his scalp burning in shame at the thought of goosebumps appearing all over Taeyong’s hot skin when it comes to touch the cold pole. 

“Anyone can teach you how to move Jaehyunnie, but you always want to be the best in anything, right? How many people do you know that practice pole dancing, huh?”

“It’s not like I’m going to put it on my resumé Taeyong.” 

“How would you know if you don’t try, huh?” 

It’s a stupid excuse, but still Jaehyun finds himself nodding along. 

If Taeyong wants to give Jaehyun a show it’d be rude for Jaehyun to say no. 

It’s all about the manners, his mother did not raise a brute. 

Also because Jaehyun likes Taeyong a little too much it’s actually embarrassing he hadn’t catch up with his feelings before and if his dumb, beautiful, cotton candy Taeyong wants to give Jaehyun a fucking rock and tell him is a diamond you bet your ass Jaehyun’s going to drink that shit up, like a man that has been denied water for days. 

“Fine.” Jaehyun sighs, nonchalant. Like he’s not _this_ close to pouncing into the older. He lets go of Taeyong’s hand reluctantly and walks to the corner of the classroom before sitting on the floor, back against the cold glass. He opens his mouth to say something but closes it the second he finds out he has nothing to say that won’t sound like an innuendo or invitation for Taeyong to leave the pole behind and do something else with him against the mirror walls. 

Still, Taeyong nods in understanding, long lashes creating pretty shadows on his cheeks due to the artificial light. He takes out his phone, long fingers tapping rapidly on the screen before deciding on a song. 

The first glimpse of silver skin he gets to see from Taeyong is when he removes the sweatshirt he’s wearing, leaving him in only a white t-shirt as Beyoncé’s ‘Dance for you’ booms in the sound system. 

Taeyong dolled up for a party, Taeyong dresses in pressed suits or Taeyong with a sole white t-shirt and black pants all look beautiful to him.

Liking Taeyong, or being aware of his feelings for Taeyong if you want to get 'technical' is really not that different than when Jaehyun thought he hated the older, or at least is what Jaehyun forces himself to think as he looks how Taeyong throws one long leg around the pole, throwing his head back, regal neck on display. 

He’s still annoyed by every word and every action he makes, Taeyong’s still a brat but now more than wanting to smother Taeyong with a soft pillow he wants to quench his fire with his tongue down the older’s mouth. 

So if you really think about it, Jaehyun’s found a more efficient way to do so, in reality he’s just doing more with the same resources he has at hand. Nothing has changed. 

Jaehyun stays still, eyes glued to every moment, every twist, every pull the older does. He glides at the rhythm of the song, arching his back when the beat slows down, wrapping himself around the pole when the beat speeds up. He shifts in his place, uncomfortable when Taeyong twists his body in a way that he’s upside down, legs open side by side, only supported by his hands, one near his open legs, the other near his tousled pink hair. 

It’s when Taeyong’s bent upside down the pole, ass in the air that Jaehyun wonders if the older would be able to hold that position as he fucks him from behind. 

He’s not going to last long. 

“Enough.” Jaehyun barks from his little corner in the classroom, with authority lacing his voice. 

Taeyong’s wide eyes look at him from his place hanging upside down in another intricate position in the pole and, man Jaehyun’s not going to come out alive if he lets another second pass. 

With much difficulty and greater dignity he makes his way to the middle of the classroom, shaky hands coming to hold Taeyong's supple body, helping him down, not letting him go until the older’s pressed to Jaehyun’s chest. 

Even if it's obvious what they both feel, that with the way Taeyong's beating almost painfully against his ribcage and how Jaehyun's pretty sure the older can feel him pressing down his thigh, he wants to do things right. 

Taeyong deserves it.

Taeyong deserves to be kissed accordingly. 

He had gifted Jaehyun with so much jacking off material it’ll last years, probably all his life.

He deserves to be kissed until he’s panting, totally debauched and a moaning mess under Jaehyun's hands. 

Jaehyun feels lips pecking his chin, which he had managed to avoid by moving his face up when Taeyong moved up with the intent of pressing a kiss on his lips. 

Instead of being angry, Taeyong, pretty, gorgeous, kinda looks like a cat from those memes but not really, Taeyong laughs, boastful, a knowing look on his face. 

His heart jumps happily at the idea of Taeyong knowing what Jaehyun's thinking with only looking at him.

“If it wasn’t obvious,” Taeyong moves up on his tiptoes again, surrounding Jaehyun with roses , dark eyes like the deep sea locking with his. “I like you Jung Jaehyun. Even if you let your competitiveness get the best of you most of the time, even if you’re an obstinate asshole. I like your fire, I like how you throw yourself body and soul with the things you’re passionate about.”

Of course Jaehyun knew, it took him a while, but he knew. Sure, Taeyong had been loud, needy, a menace like a five year old tugging his crushes hair because he doesn’t know how to flirt but he can’t really think of a better way, he couldn’t ask for one either. 

And yes Jaehyun thought Taeyong was out to get him but that’s just him being fucking stupid. 

If anything it makes the words that Taeyong had just said even more significant, each word dripping with an adoration so palpable, Jaehyun’s toes curl and his heart matches with Taeyong’s crazy beating. 

“Taeyong I-” Jaehyun whispers, fingers wrapping around thin wrists in a warning when he feels Taeyong’s breath caressing his lips. 

He has to tell him. Before something happens, before he fucks up. He needs to tell him. Taeyong needs to know that this is not a game for him, this is not the heat of the moment.

Taeyong deserves to know that he wants to hold his hand, and take him to a date, and talk about his strange fascination with animal crossing and doodling cartoon characters that look like Jaehyun. He wants to listen to all of his embarrassing pickup lines and come up with his own, an intimate challenge where the first who blushes is the loser. 

He wants–

“I want us to be friends.” 

Wait.

His heart pace picks up panicked when he sees the deflect marring on his pretty face. His fingers move faster than his brain, leaving Taeyong’s wrist to hold his hand, stopping him when he’s moving away from him. 

“And a little more.” 

Fuck fuck fuck. 

There’s confusion swimming in Taeyong’s dark eyes, a hint of hurt and defensiveness on his shoulders and face, but he doesn’t pull away from Jaehyun’s hold. 

Great! He hasn’t completely fucked up. 

Yet. 

“And, also, I like you, _so much,_ so, so, so, much you have no idea, but to be fair, I also didn’t have that much an idea either but when I found out I- wait fuck, I’m doing a very shitty job. That’s-” Jaehyun cries panicked, words finally registering what he’s saying. He pulls his hands up to hide his red face, but forgets that he’s holding Taeyong’s hands too and tugs them up with him. “What I want to say is that yes you’re a little shit most of the time, but then you are so gentle and good too. You’re so, so, good Taeyong and I’m–” 

“Forget what I just said, okay?” Jaehyun moans mortified, face ten different shades of scarlet. “Fuck, what the fuck is wrong with me I’m-”

“Jaehyun-ah, look at me, please.” He feels the cool of Taeyong’s fingers against his heated skin, trying to take them off his face. Jaehyun peeks through his lashes meeting the most gentle look he has seen on the older and oh, oh, oh...“Hi there.”

“H-hi.” 

“I’m going to kiss you now.” Taeyong says like every other time he had talked to Jaehyun. Not like a question, but like a fact. And who does Jaehyun think he is to say no to someone like Taeyong and his big eyes? 

He nods once, twice, thrice until cold fingers are pulling him down to meet a waiting mouth. Jaehyun was right, Taeyong kisses like he talks, eager, fast and bruising, with his mouth falling open from a soundless gasp, Jaehyun drinks in greedily the taste of roses, molting iron swirling at the pit in his stomach.

There’s a whimper that echoes through the glass walls of the classroom and Jaehyun can’t beat his life that the whimper isn’t his. And because everything is a competition to Jaehyun, he bites and licks and bites again, smiling into the kiss when Taeyong’s breathy sounds begin to increase in volume. 

Later that day, with lips red and abused from all of the kisses and nibbles Jaehyun had given to his mouth, Taeyong tells him that Jaehyun’s whimpers had been so loud he wants to record them and keep them with him at all times, he says it with zero amount of shame for someone who was just as loud if not louder. 

But Jaehyun, too blissed out to argue, just nods at whatever his boyfriend is blabbing, his fingers caressing Taeyong’s blushing ears, before pressing him against the cold glass, latching himself to his pretty neck painting it red and purple. 

After all Taeyong loved to draw and paint. Let's see if he likes Jaehyun’s masterpiece. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't use "That's what he said" once, i deserve a prize. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are the air i breathe


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